Folding bed.



H. A. TRACY.

v FOLDING BED. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1911.

0,867. Patented; Dec. 9, 1913.

2 SEEETS-SHEBT 1.

WiTHEEETELE: H I /E \ITI:I Fl :1- T R H. A. TRACY. FOLDING BED. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. 1911.

1 Q8Q86Z', Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

("r eg sat, fish I Enid KRIS A. TRACY, E BGSTGN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Dec. 9. 1913.

11" e535 whom it may concern:

lie it known that .l, theme a. Tnacr, of

L in the county of Suffolk and State sachrzsetts, a citizen of the United invented a new and'useful lm it in holding Beds of which the is a full clelnf and nact descrip-- ace being had to the accompanyj drawings, forming a part of this specification in explaining its nature.

My invention relates to a folding bed of a kind especially adapted to be used in all place where economy of space is necessary irable.

essential object-- of my invention is to folding bed simple strong and w a; structure and which maybe folded up against a wall or in position adjacent to wall to occupy a comparatively small space provision being made also for taking care of the mattresses and bedding.

A bed embodying my invention in its preferred form shown in the drawings to which reference will now be made and in which- Figure 1 shows the bed turned down in side elevation. Fig. 2 is also a side elevation of the bed turned down but with the headpiece and foot rest to wiich reference will hereinafter be made, occupying a. folded position. Fig. 3 shows the bed in end elevation looking toward the head of the bed. Fig. i is a plan of the bed turned down. Iii- 7. shows in side elevation the bed 00- cupying a folded position the elevation sh'wing also the disposition of the matvhen the bed is in folded position. a .4 shows an enlarged detail of construction to which reference will hereinafter be made. and Fig. 7 is a plan of a detail of construction to which special reference will be ll ferring to the drawings :The body of ed comprises a spring 1 held by a suporting frame. This frame comprises side on the ends of which are mounted upsupporting members 3 which support or ssbars i one at the head and one at the of spring. and to which Crossbars the is attach 1n usual manner.

supper spring is other- 0 made that the spring 13 preferably than the space separating the side as inay seen by reference to Fig. 4t.

sl al parts is also such that some considerable space will be left between. the plane of the side bars and that of the spring, for a purpose to which reference will hereinafter be made. Besides serving as a means of attachment for the spring the crossbars l serve also as supports to which are pivotally secured the folding headpiece 5 pivoted to the crossbar-s l at the head of the spring and bars 4c at the foot of the spring.

The headpiece 5 comprises a frame provided with hinges 7 by which it is pivotally secured to the crossbar 4-. at the head of the spring, and the arrangement of thexheadpiece is such that it may occupy a vertical or upright position as shown in Fig. l or a downturned position over and onto the face of the spring as shown in Fig. 2. The headpiece is also provided with an extension 8. The pivotal arrangement of the headpiece is such that'when it is in an'upright position the extension 8 extending beyond the point of the hinges will engage the rear side of the crossbar 4 at the head of the spring, which forms a stop and thereby acts to prevent the headpiece from falling back or from being turned back beyond a proper upright or vertical position.

The foot rest 6 is secured to the crossbar 4 at the foot of the spring by hinges 9. The pivotal arrangement of the rest is such that it may be turned down to occupy a position substantially in alinement with the spring as shown in Fig. 1 or a folded position turned in over the face of the spring at the bottom end thereof substantially as shown in Fig. 2. The foot rest consists of a part 10 forming the rest proper and which is the part which extends in line with the spring forming a continuation thereof when the rest is in a turned down operative position as aforesaid. The foot rest consists also of a foot piece 11 which when the rest is turned down occupies a vertical or uprightposition with respect to the rest proper l0 and forming practically the foot'of the bed. In order'that the foot rest may be maintained in a turned down or operative position it is provided at the rear end of the rest proper 10 with a flange 12 or means adapted to engage the rear side of the crossbar 4 at the foot of the spring below i the hinges 9 which act as a stop for main- The disposition and arrangement of thethe folding foot rest 6 pivoted to the cross-v incense taining the foot rest in its proper turned down position when it acts as an extension to the spring as aforesaid.

The bed as thus far described is maintained to occupy either a turned down position as shown in Figs. 1 to 42, inclusive; or a folded position as shown inl ig. 5 in the following manner: Standing upon the floor upon which the bed rest-s are uprights 13 having a connecting head bar 14-. These uprights and connecting bar form a supporting frame to which the bed is pivotally secured. In this connection it is to be observed that the longitudinally-extending side bars 52, which form a part of the frame supporting the spring, rest upon the head bar 14 and are pivotally secured thereto by straps 15 which pass under the head bar and are secured to the respective side bars at points some little distance removed from the head end of these bars or head of ,the bed. The resulting effect is that the bed may be pivotally turned upon and around the head bar 14- either to occupy a downturned horizontal position as shown in Fig. l or be turned up to occupy a folded vertical upright position as shown in Fig. 5.

The uprights 13 and head bar 14 forming the support on which the bed turns are held in proper upright position by brackets 16 which connect therewith and extend back wardly there-from to connect with the wall back of the head of the bed. To assist in se curing the brackets to the wall they may be provided with rosettes 17 at their outer ends.

The arrangement of the brackets 16 is such that both brackets will extend beneath the lower end of the frame when in an upturned vertical position and so that the frame may rest thereon after being turned to such position thereby taking the strain from the means pivotally supporting the frame. The brackets 16 are of such length that they will held the uprights pivot-ally supporting the bed as aforesaid, iii-such position that when the bed is folded to assume its upright position as shown in Fig. 5, the spring will lie a sufficient distance away from the wall to which the brackets are secured as to allow space for the mattress a which is not removed from the bed when folded, but is folded or turned with it into an upright position. The brackets also assist in sup porting the mattress when in its upturned position for the space between the brackets in less than the width of the mattress and spring carrying it. but to this reference will further be made.

The bed. is further supported when in a turned down position by legs 18 preferably having aconnecting cross-bar 19. These lo s are preferably pivoted to the respective,

side bars 2 of the frame supporting the spring, at points near the foot end thereof in such manner that the legs may, when the bed is turned down, stand upon the door assuming an upright position supporting the lower end of the bed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2; or when the bed is folded the legs may occupy a folded position snugly adjacent to the side bars 2 as shown in Fig. Provision is made whereby the legs may be pivoted to the side bars in such manner as to present a finished appearance dispensing with the use of hinges. For this purpose there are provided pieces 20 in the nature of short plates which are secured to extend from the under sides of the side bars 2 in longitudinal alinement therewith substantially as shown in Fig. 6. These plates are secured to the respective side bars by means of screws 21 attached to the plates which pass through the side bars and are retained by nuts 22 which turn down againstthe upper sides of the bars. The legs 18 are pivotally secured to these respective plates 20. Slot-s 23 are formed in thenpper ends of the legs into which the plates are adapted to loosely fit and are fastened to the legs by means of cross pins 2% on which the legs pivot or turn. The arrangement of the parts is such also thatavhen the legs are turned outwardly to assume a position at right angles to the side bars or upright position for supporting the bed, the ends of the legs will be brought in against the under faces of the side bars forming stops for preventing the legs from being turned back beyond a normal operative position for supporting the bed. It will be seen also that the slots 23 formed in the upper ends of the legs and which receive the plates 21 are not slots ex tending through the ends of the legs but only partially-through the same with the effect that as the legs are turned to assume an operative position the means of jointure is practically concealed.

For the purpose of holding the bed in an upright position as shown in'.Fig. 5 and for the purpose also of assisting in raising the same there are provided springs 26. These springs are simply coil springs secured to the head bar 14: of the frame on which the bed turns and tensionally bear against the under side of the respective side bars 2.

For holding the mattress in place as the bed is folded and also for assisting the bracket 16 in supporting the mattress after the bed has become folded the headpiece 5 is provided with one or more fingers or guards 27 which form practically auxiliary headpieces which engage the rear edge of the mattress after the main headpiece has been turned under the mattress against the spring as before described. v

When the bed is made with a folding foot rest as referred to above the mattress a is made short as shown and is supplemented by a mattress section a. In such case the too ' pillows or bedding, a holder 28 is provided and the spring, the outer which consists of a rectangular frame preferably of crossed wires which is secured to and interposed between'the side bars 2 of the frame. I prefer, as shown, to pivot the inner end of this holder to the side bars as may be effected by trunnions 29. By this means the holder may be pivotally movable to an open position or folded against the mattress or bedding interposed between it end of the holder then being secured to the side bars by latches 30.

The operation of using the bed is substantially as follows: Assuming the bed to be in a turned down position as shown in Fig. 1 and it is desired to fold the bed and turn it up into an inoperative position against the wall, the mattress section a is lifted and the headpiece 5 turned down over the spring. The mattress section a is then removed and the foot rest then turned in to assume a position substantially as shown in Fig. 2. The bed is then turned up when the legs 18 supporting the bed will turn to assume a position alongside and snugly adjacent to the side bars of the frame for the spring. The mattress section a will lie between the wall and the spring; the foot rest will assume a position in the space left by the mattress section a, as above explained, while the mattress section a will be disposed of by inserting the same in the space between the side bars 2 and the spring.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a folding bed, the combination with a spring, of a frame for said spring, a headpiece pivotally secured to said frame whereby it may be turned tooccupy either a horizontal position over the face of said spring or a vertical position, means for'pirotally securing said headpiece to said frame, and a guard carried by said headpiece and adapted to form an auxiliary headpiece to said frame when said headpiece is in its horizontal position as aforesaid.

2. In a folding bed, the combination with a spring, of a frame for said spring, the same comprising side bars and raised end bfi1S,'tl1G said bars being arranged to leave a space between the plane of said side bars and that of said spring, and a holder connecting with the side bars of said frame for retaining objects interposed between said holder and said spring.

8. In a folding bed, the combination with a spring, of a frame supporting said spring, the same comprising side bars and raised end bars, said bars being arranged to leave a space between the plane of said side bars and that of saidspring, a supporting fixture for the inner end ofsaid frame from which the side bars thereof extend in part to rest and turn thereon, means for pivotally securing said frame to said fixture, and a holder connecting with the side bars of said frame and supplementing said HARRIS A. TRACY.

Witnesses: v a

JOHN EB. Hares, JAMES J. KENNEaLLY.

fixture in the retention of objects placed beneath said spr n 

